Hannah's Dog Walking and Training

02/06/2026

🐾 DOG BUSINESS FOLLOW TRAIN 🐾

When I first started my dog business journey, another business owner ran a follow train like this and it genuinely helped me connect with other professionals, grow my page, and build a supportive network.
So now I'd like to do the same and pay it forward. 💜

If you run a dog-related business (walking, training, grooming, boarding, pet sitting, nutrition, photography, or anything else dog-related), drop your page name in the comments and tell us where you're based.📍

👇 How it works:
🐶 Comment your business page below
🐶 Follow a few other businesses in the comments
🐶 Like and engage with their content
🐶 Reply to people you've followed so they can return the support

Please remember that genuine engagement goes much further than just a follow. Take a moment to show some support to other small businesses too. 🤝

28/05/2026

One of the biggest problems in dog training is how quickly normal behaviour gets labelled as “bad”.
Dogs are constantly communicating with us, yet so many are punished for warning signals, stress responses or completely natural behaviours simply because they’re inconvenient to humans.
Then people wonder why dogs suddenly “bite out of nowhere”, become reactive, shut down or stop trusting the people around them.
You cannot punish the emotions out of a dog.
You can suppress behaviour.
You can intimidate dogs into silence.
You can force compliance.
But that does not mean the dog feels safe.
Understanding behaviour matters far more than simply stopping it. 🐾

27/05/2026

Copied from another walker but very true

Here’s to all the dog walkers who have had to cancel walks this week.

To the ones living paycheck to paycheck, making the heartbreaking decision to put the welfare of the dogs first — even when rent is due, bills are piling up, and the food shop still needs paying for.

You are my heroes.

These weather extremes are hitting hard. And sadly, this is becoming our new normal — wet winters, unbearable spring and summer heat, one extreme after another.

Over the couple of years, so many new dog walkers have started their businesses, stepping into this industry at one of the toughest times imaginable.

The weather hasn’t just affected our income — it’s affected our mental health too. The stress, the uncertainty, the constant worry… it takes its toll.

And on top of all that, the cost of living has risen so dramatically.

Fuel costs, vehicle maintenance, insurance, food prices, rent, mortgages, utilities — everything has gone up, while many of us are earning less because of cancelled walks and unsafe temperatures.

It’s an exhausting balance trying to keep a business afloat while also trying to survive personally. For so many dog walkers, it feels like no matter how hard we work, we’re constantly trying to catch up.

But still, we keep going.

Why?

Because this is more than just a job to us. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a passion. It’s something we pour our whole hearts into every single day.

No matter the weather, no matter the setbacks, we continue showing up because we love these dogs like they’re our own.

So to every dog walker struggling quietly this week — I see you, I respect you, and I hope you’re proud of yourself for putting the dogs first, even when it costs you.

21/05/2026

!!!

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20/05/2026

☀️ Hot Weather Reminder - Friday Walks ☀️

Just a reminder to all clients that temperatures on Friday are due to reach 20°C+ from 10am onwards.
As stated in the Weather & Welfare Policy within the Terms & Conditions that all clients signed upon joining, I do not walk dogs in temperatures exceeding 20°C when conditions are unsafe to do so.
Your dog’s welfare and safety will always come first. 🐾
This decision also takes into account:
• Humidity
• Ground temperature
• Shade availability
• Breed and size of dog
• Any overweight dogs who may struggle more in warmer weather
• Overall risk of heat-related illness

If you would still like your dog’s walk to go ahead, walks will need to be moved to an earlier time before temperatures become too high.

Thank you for understanding and supporting my decision to always put the dogs’ safety first. 💜

12/05/2026

I want to share this with you all partly because I think it might help me feel a little better, but also to raise awareness of this condition and hopefully hear other people’s experiences too.

About a month ago I noticed something wasn’t right with Nellie’s eyes. It came on very suddenly and she was struggling to open them properly. After a few days of no improvement, I took her to the vets.
After 4 vet visits and still no real answers, Nellie was referred to a specialist in King’s Lynn. Fast forward 2 weeks later, we finally saw the ophthalmologist last week and Nellie was diagnosed with KCS (Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca), also known as immune-mediated dry eye.
Basically, her immune system is attacking and destroying her tear-producing glands. This causes severe dryness, thick mucus discharge, inflammation, pain, and if left untreated can eventually lead to blindness.

Because of the chronic lack of lubrication, Nellie has developed severe inflammation and corneal damage, including erosions and ulcers in both eyes.

She is now on medication and has a follow-up appointment in 6 weeks.
Unfortunately this condition is usually lifelong, and the medication can take quite a while to work… if it works. So at the moment we’re just taking things day by day and hoping for the best.

It’s honestly been an awful few weeks. Lots of tears (mostly mine obviously 🙈), sleepless nights, and constant worry over whether she could lose some or all of her sight.
But the hardest part through all of this has been watching her in pain and discomfort.
If anyone reading this has ever experienced this condition with their own dog, please send me a message. I’d genuinely love to hear your experiences, advice, or anything that helped. As we all know, Google isn’t always your best friend in situations like this and it definitely doesn’t help the anxiety 🙈
💜

11/05/2026

One of the biggest mistakes I see when it comes to “socialisation” is the belief that dogs need to greet every dog and person they see.
They don’t. 👏
In fact, constantly encouraging interaction can actually contribute to frustration, over-excitement, poor impulse control and even reactivity in some dogs.
A well-socialised dog is not necessarily the dog that wants to say hello to everyone.
Often, it is the dog that can calmly walk past distractions, remain neutral, and simply exist in the environment without feeling the need to react to everything around them.
Some dogs are naturally more social than others - and that is perfectly okay too.
Not every dog wants friends.
Not every dog enjoys interaction.
And dogs should not be forced into social situations simply because humans think they “should” enjoy them.
True socialisation is about calmness, confidence and emotional stability… not constant interaction. 🐾

09/05/2026

Muzzle training is one of the most misunderstood skills you can teach a dog.
For many people, seeing a dog in a muzzle immediately creates assumptions, but the reality is that muzzles can be useful for a wide range of situations and are not just for “aggressive” dogs.

A dog may benefit from wearing a muzzle for many different reasons.
From preventing scavenging on walks to keeping everyone safe during stressful or painful situations.
Even the gentlest dog may react differently when injured, frightened, or in pain, particularly during emergency treatment or veterinary handling. This does not automatically mean the dog is aggressive; pain and fear can cause any dog to react instinctively.

The important thing is how the muzzle is introduced.

A muzzle should never be used as punishment, forced onto a frightened dog, or relied upon instead of proper training and behaviour support. Like any piece of equipment, it should be introduced gradually and positively so the dog feels safe and comfortable wearing it.

Teaching a dog to happily wear a muzzle is not admitting your dog is “bad.”
It is responsible preparation for situations where one may genuinely be needed one day.
Because good ownership is not just about managing the easy moments - it’s about preparing for the difficult ones too. 🐾

If you would like help with muzzle training, contact us on Messenger, send us a DM on Instagram, or WhatsApp us. 💜🩷

01/05/2026

Just a reminder to all my lovely clients 🐾

As per my recently updated T&Cs, there will be a £5 surcharge on walks over the upcoming bank holidays:

Monday 4th May
Monday 25th May

Thank you as always for your understanding and support 💜
Any questions, just drop me a message 😊

Just a reminder to all my lovely clients 🐾

As per my recently updated T&Cs, there will be a £5 surcharge on walks over the upcoming bank holidays:
Friday 3rd April
Monday 6th April
Monday 4th May
Monday 25th May

Thank you as always for your understanding and support 💜
Any questions, just drop me a message 😊

01/05/2026

It absolutely breaks my heart seeing stories like this in the news 💔
No owner should ever have to go through something like this.

When we trust someone with our dogs - whether that’s for walking, training, or sitting - we are trusting them with a member of our family. That trust should never come with fear or doubt about our dog’s safety.

I don’t offer pet sitting myself, but this applies across the entire industry. As professionals, it is our responsibility to provide not just a service, but safety, care, and respect for every dog in our hands.
I truly believe our industry needs more regulation and stronger checks to help protect both dogs and owners. Situations like this should never be possible.

It’s also important to remember that cases like this do not represent the majority. Most dog walkers, trainers, and sitters are passionate, dedicated, and would never intentionally cause harm. But even one case like this is one too many.

Our dogs deserve better. Always 💜🩷

Duncan Horlor is calling for regulations to be introduced on petsitters.
His dogs were abused whilst he was on holiday.
See comments for more.